£10,766

66

Sector

pledged of £20,000 goal

Backers

Community

About this project

The EETG is a community of small independent businesses

We want to work with all the small businesses that pledge their advance membership to develop bespoke events, talks and walking tours on Small Business Saturday 3rd December for our new initiative – East End Independents Day! And with your help produce a new map with James Brown and Herb Lester so that the world knows exactly where to find them in time for Christmas.

If you don’t own a business you can now get involved as a Friend of the EETG, or show support by snapping up one of our unique rewards.

Our members know an average of 80 customers by name and many take on social and community responsibilities. In total they have a turnover of £77 million, yet the forces that shape urban development, combined with inflated rents and taxes can overwhelm even the most viable of small businesses.

If we reach our funding goal we can celebrate the diversity and value that small independents bring to our neighbourhoods, and simultaneously grow the capacity and collective voice we need to innovate for positive change.

Business membership benefits

Marketing inclusion to the new EETG Independents’ Day and map + a new improved website listing

A welcome pack will include; welcome letter, a tote bag, window sticker and schedule of 12 EETG social events for the year plus 100 of our Herb Lester maps

Monthly social events designed to meet the needs and ideas of the membership

Being involved /or represented in policy initiatives and network innovation at borough and London region level

Apprenticeship opportunities

Professional legal advice workshops on lease terms, security of tenure and rent reviews

Internal trading & collaboration

A strong voice for small independent business that can compel positive change for the membership and the neighbourhoods to which they belong

There are 4 ways you can get involved!

1. Become a member: If you own a business with up to 50 employees and are based in the East End then sign up for advanced membership to feature on our map and help us to launch East End Independents’ Day. Your membership will last for one year from the 1st December and you will receive your welcome pack in October 2016.

2. Become a friend: If you don’t own a business but you care about the independents that give the East End its distinctive identity then sign up as one of the first Friends of the EETG, and benefit from special rewards from our members, you too will get your welcome pack in October this year.

3.Show that you care: If you would like to show your support with a one off donation then choose any one of the specially hand picked rewards made with love by our members.

4. Help promote and share: Please share this campaign with all your family and friends and far and wide across social media. If you’re strapped for cash but you still want to to help out, this will make a huge difference!This is a not-for-profit venture. All of your money goes towards developing, delivering and maintaining the ideas and furthering the interests of our valued small business members.

About us

The East End Trades Guild launched in 2012 and volunteer members have achieved a great deal on a shoestring since then. Now the East End Trades Guild needs your help to pay for a member of staff to work with businesses to deliver our East End Independents’ Day initiative.

Our Story

The catalyst for the East End Trades Guild came when Spitalfieldsʼ oldest family business, Gardnersʼ Market Sundriesmen, selling paper bags from the same building for over one hundred and forty years, was faced with a large rent increase sufficient to put them out of business. Such was the public outcry that the landlord relented, but the point was made that these small independents are the essence of the East End and they needed to band together.

East End Independents’ Day

On 3rd December this year, we want to launch East End Independents’ Day to celebrate the infinite variety of small businesses that give East London its famous character. The discerning customer knows that small brings a personal touch and meaningful interaction, enhanced expertise and craftsmanship that all make for a uniquely creative and authentic end product.
small independents employ local people, pay their taxes, and are rooted in the social fabric of our neighbourhoods. Many of them take on social and community responsibilities.

The Map

If we make our target Herb Lester and James Brown will produce a map of the small businesses that pledge their advanced membership dues via this campaign. Our map will direct the public to events and walking tours of studios, machine rooms, shops and more on 3rd December 2016. Participating businesses across all sectors will be featured to make sure the world knows where to spend their money where it counts the most on East End Independents’ Day and forever!

Our Staff

Our member of staff is founding organiser and active volunteer member Krissie Nicolson. Krissie recently worked with local artist Lucinda Rogers to compose anopen letter of objection to Boris Johnson regarding the proposed Hammerson & Ballymore plans for Bishopsgate Goodsyard. Together with founding member Paul Gardner from Gardners’ Bags they compiled a list of over 140 local business signatories.
Krissie also played a key role in organising an Ideas Workshop on March 18th with the aim of developing solutions to the loss of industrial land to unaffordable housing developments. Experts including Turner Prize winners Assemble gathered at the Urban Innovation Centre. Industrial areas are the natural habitat for 22% of London’s small businesses. These solutions are currently being distilled and refined together with the Just Space Economy & Planning group and the Open Workshop Network.

In addition, Krissie has worked with local legal firm Dowse & Co to provide a commercial property law workshop with the aim of empowering small business owners to confidently negotiate with their landlords.

Krissie Nicolson is proud to be a Fellow of the RSA, which endorses the best new Fellowship campaigns driving positive social impact today. Discover more about the RSA and joining the Fellowship here.

POPULAR CATEGORY

As the crowdfunding market grows at such a rapid rate world wide our contributers share their knowledge and expertise in support of the future of funding. Crowdfunding Campaigner Magazine targets business owners, entrepreneurs, startups and investors to discuss latest news, views experiences and successes.